Rahul Gandhi’s big test as India’s opposition leader

Ms Chowdhury says that a stronger opposition would provide greater room for debate, making it difficult for the government to pass bills without discussions.

“It’s also going to be a lot more difficult for the ruling majority to suspend and disqualify MPs, as we’ve seen happen in the recent past,” she adds.

Last year, some key bills – including ones meant to replace India’s existing criminal laws – were passed in parliament with almost no debate, external after 143 opposition leaders were suspended after protesting against a security breach in parliament.

Sugata Srinivasaraju, a political journalist who has written a book on Mr Gandhi, says his new role would also help the Congress leader revive his image as a leader.

“This new job not just brings immense responsibility but will also expect Mr Gandhi to be more methodical, diligent and patient in parliament, which he has not exactly been in the last 20 years,” he told the BBC.

Mr Gandhi became the president of Congress in 2017, but stepped down following the party’s disastrous performance in the 2019 election.

He has often been mocked by Mr Modi and the BJP as a non-serious politician. But analysts say that two long marches he undertook across the country in the past couple of years helped him undo that image.

While he’s no longer the official leader of the Congress, he also won both the parliamentary seats he contested – in Wayanad of Kerala state, and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh – with massive majorities.

“The decision to accept the new role suggests a new confidence… inside him,” Mr Srinivasaraju said.

“He has made a dent and he has to carefully build on it.”